Personal Computers

• 26 hrs lectures
• 16 hrs laboratories

• 60 pts final exam
• 24 pts mid-term test
• 16 pts labs

To provide students with the information on personal computer structure, parameters, its component structure and trends for the future.
Students will become acquainted with the principles of PC construction and certain typical peripheral devices construction. In laboratory tutorials, the attention will be paid especially to the principles of peripheral device control.

The course provides students with practical information from the area of peripheral devices, their controller's construction and buses. They will use this knowledge during their studies and in praxis.

• Design of Computer Systems (INP)

1. The Development Stages of Personal Computers, Parameters, Concepts.
2. The Development Stages of Intel Microprocessor Architectures.
3. Scalar and Superscalar Architectures.  
4. The Implementation of CISC and RISC Architectures in Intel Microprocessors - 1. 
5. The Implementation of CISC and RISC Architectures in Intel Microprocessors - 2.
6. Memory Organization, Elements, Technologies, Memory Addressing, I/O Ports Addressing. CMOS Memory.
7. Memory Organization, Elements, Technologies, Memory Addressing, I/O Ports Addressing. CMOS Memory. 
8. Cache Memory, its Organization and Implementation.
9. The Principles of Peripheral Operations Control, PIO Modes, Interrupt Request, Direct Memory Access.
10. The Development Stages of Personal Computer Buses.
11. Centronics, Its Structure and Communication.
12. The Principles of Personal Computer Adapter Design and Construction.
13. The Buses for Peripheral Devices Control.

• Communication on ISA bus and the use of BootROM.
• PC Power Consumption. 
• VGA interface, signals analysis.  
• HDD and S.M.A.R.T. technology.
• Communication on ISA bus and servicing the IRQ.
• PCI System Bus and the address decoder.
• VGA interface, FITkit platform.
• PS/2 analysis.  

• Lab tutorials: 16 points.
• Written mid-term written exam: 24 points.
• Minimum semestral activity score is not specified.
• Final written exam: 60 points.

Attending lab experiments, mid-term exam passing. Laboratories will be possible to be passed during the following weeks.